What are some symptoms of gallbladder problems?

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Some symptoms of gallbladder problems include a pain that comes on suddenly and quickly increases in intensity, according to MedicineNet. Another type of pain is severe but steady. Both types of pain are felt in the upper right side of the abdomen and might radiate to the shoulder or back.

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Besides pain, the patient may also experience sweating, nausea and vomiting, explains MedicineNet. He may also have fever and chills. In a gallbladder disorder known as cholecystitis, the abdomen also feels tender. In a gallbladder problem called cholangitis, the patient may experience jaundice. His blood pressure may drop to dangerous levels, and he may become mentally confused. This type of gallbladder disease, called ascending cholangitis, requires emergency medical care.

Gallstones can also block the duct that leads from the pancreas and cause the gland to become inflamed. This also leads to abdominal pain that radiates to the back and becomes worse after a meal. A disorder known as porcelain gallbladder causes the wall of the gallbladder to calcify, notes the American Cancer Society. It usually follows gallbladder inflammation and is often associated with gallbladder cancer. The signs and symptoms of gallbladder cancer are very much like those of more benign gallbladder diseases. Since the gallbladder is located deep within the body, it is difficult to detect gallbladder cancer early.